During data acquisition and image reconstruction the execution of the scanner must be controlled in order to be able to capture the desired images in the required quality. To this end specific settings are grouped together in a protocol and are executed on the medical imaging device.
When a new scanner is delivered usually so-called default protocols are supplied with it, which are necessarily global or generic and are exclusively designed for the purpose of making the best possible use of the technical performance features of the scanner without taking account of the individual operating conditions of the facility for creating the images.
In practice a scanner is usually integrated into a technical facility, such as a site, an organization unit or department (e.g. a hospital department). The different medical requirements and individual preferences in the different departments, sites or organization units also make different demands on the image acquisition; the result of which is that the scanners also have to be operated and controlled under different operating conditions and with different protocols. A global preset protocol is therefore seldom able to continue to be used; it must be adapted to the operating conditions of the respective facility.
In the prior art this is usually done manually by an application specialist, who sets and adapts the relevant protocol parameters specifically for the facility during the installation of the device. In further operation further adaptations could also be undertaken directly by the customer.
The previous process has proved to be time-consuming and prone to errors, since incorrect manual settings are possible.
It is also known to import protocols from other devices or from a central entity. A corresponding “import” feature can be embodied for this purpose within the framework of scan protocol assistance software. For example DE 10 2006 010 535 describes making MR protocols available centrally for another modality (magnetic resonance). However it proves disadvantageous here in practice that the protocols with the parameters contained therein are frequently not available for various reasons (no access, no hits during a database search etc.).
If a device is replaced the protocol is not retained as a rule. Furthermore the protocols must also be readable, i.e. they must be available in readable formats. For protocols from other manufacturers this is generally not the case, since proprietary protocols are used and standardization has not yet been implemented across all manufacturers. A further complicating factor is that—even if the earlier protocol parameters are available and can be read in—the read-in (old) parameters must also be correctly interpreted, since the parameters are scanner-specific and manufacturer-specific. A 1:1 transfer (from the “old’ protocol to the “new” protocol) is therefore not possible. If for example a protocol parameter defines, for a SOMATOM device of the applicant, that a specific x-ray spectrum is created for a 120 kV acceleration voltage, then because of the x-ray tubes used, the pre-filtering of the spectrum and other circumstances for other devices of other manufacturers do not necessarily match.